Washing-machine.



No. 729,930. PATENTED JUNE 2, 190s.

- s. J. EAEDING. WASHING MACHINE. N

` nrmouron FILED JAN. 1v, 190s. No MODEL. 1

U'Nirnn ASTATES Patented June 2, 1903.

PATENT GFFICE.

WASHING- :vtanniurneV 1 srncrnrcnmroiv forming part of Letters Patent No. "729,93o, dated-June 2, 1903.

Application led January 17, 1903- Seriel No. 139,457. (No model.)- l

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON J. HARDING, a citizenv of the United States, residing at Han risburg, in the countyof Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have `invented a new and 'useful Washing-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The invention `relates to improvements in` washing-machines.

The object ofthe present invention is to improve the construction ofwashing-machines and to provide a Simple, inexpensive, and eflicient one adapted to be conveniently operated and capable of enabling clothes andother fabrics to be rapidly and thoroughly Washed without injury.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a washing-machine of this character designed to be mounted upon an ordinary tub or receptacle and capable of enabling the operator to stand in an upright `position and adapted to apply soap automatically to obviate the necessity of Soaping clothes by hand.`

The invention also hasfor its object to provide a machine through which clothes-may be rapidly passed and .which will enablesoiled fabrics to be operated on to the desired extent.

Another object of the invention is to pro? Vide a washing-machine which during the op eration of washing clothes will automatically discharge water at intervals upon the clothes to facilitate the operation of washing and to,

obviate the necessity of Soaping the clothes or other fabrics by hand.

With these andother objects in view the present invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that changesin the form, proportion, and minor details of construction Within the scope of the claims may be made without departing'fronr the spirit or sacriicing any of-the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a washing-machine constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a tub. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the lower reciprocating rubber or bed. Fig. 5 is a detail View illustrating the construction of the soap-holder. Fig. G is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner of securing the pump to the supporting-frame.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding` parts in all the figures'of the drawings.

1 designates a'n approximately rectangular 1 w frame composed of side bars 2 andfront and rear cross-bars 3 and 4, connecting the side bars n ear the terminals thereof Vand coperating with the same to form a` box-like support for the washing mechanism. rlhe frame 1 is designed to be placed upon atub or other suitable receptacle and to extend partially into the same, and the rear portions of the side bars 2 'are recessed'at the lower edges at 4@ to receive the upper edges of the tub or receptacle, and these notches or recesses form upright shoulders for engaging the inner faces of the-.adjacent portions of the walls of the receptacle, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The side bars 2 extend outward beyond the said shoulders, and the projectin g portions rest upon the upper-edges of the tub or receptacle. The front-portions of the side bars are supported by thefront portion of the tub 5,4 and suitable fastening devices (i, such as a pivoted button, maybe ernployed for engagingthe interior of the tub, atthe front thereof, to loci; the framefagainst forward movement,`whereby the Washing-machine will' be securely held in place during Athe operation of washing. .The shoulders formed by the `recesses 4 prevent the frame fromfmovingbackward on the tub, as will be readily apparent. i

Risingfrom the frame, at opposite sides thereof,` arestandards @having slotted upper portions and connected by a transverse top bar 8, secured within the slots 9, at the upper ends thereof. The slots 9 of the standards or uprights 7 iform guides for averticallymovable oscillatory framellO, which carries a rubbing-roller 11 and which is actuated by coiled springs 12, whereby the rubbingroller is yieldingly held in engagement with the clothes or other fabrics being washed and IOO is adapted to pass over thick portions of the suitable manner.

otherwiseinjuring the clothes or breaking the buttons or other fastening means of the same. rlhe oscillatory frame 10 is composed of sides 12flandaconnectingtopbarsecuredin recesses or bifurcations ot' the upper ends of the sides 12"L and extending outward beyond the same. The extended portions of the top bar of the oscillatory frame are rounded to form journals 13, which operate in the slots 9 of the uprights or standards ofthe supporting-frame 1. The journals are provided with projections, preferably formed by fastening devices 14 and securing the upper ends of the coiled springs to the said journal, the lower ends of the coiled springs being secured to the outer faces of the uprights or standards 7 at points below the slots or bifurcations bysuitable fastening devices 15; but the springs may be mounted in any other desired manner.

The rubbing roller or roll is journaled between the lower ends of the sides of the oscillatory frame and is provided with a rubbing-surface, as hereinafter explained, and it cooperates with a reverselyreciprocating lower rubber or bed 16, arranged within the lower portion of the supporting-frame and designed to be supported and guided in any The lower rubber or bed may be supported, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, by cleats or bars 17, secured to the inner faces of the sides of the supporting frame, at the lower edges thereof, and provided with recesses 18 for the reception of loose rollers 19, which may be of any desired number. A series of rollers may be provided for enabling the lower rubber or bed to be moved freely within the supporting-frame.

The lower rubber or bed which extends entirely across the frame is provided adjacent to the sides of the frame with end recesses 20 for the reception of the lower ends of a pair of upright oscillatory levers 2l, fulcrumed between their ends adjacent to the uprights or standards 7 and provided at their upperends willi slots 22 for the reception of pins or projections 23 of the sides of the oscillatory frame, whereby when the frame 10 is oscillated the lower rubber or bed will be reversely reciprocated. When the oscillatory frame moves forward, the lower rubber or bed will move rearward, and at this rearward movement of the bed when the rubbing-roller is at the front portion of the frame water is discharged upon the bed for saturating the clothes and removing the dirt therefrom.

The water is discharged upon the clothes by means of a pump 24, having a barrel 25 for the reception of a piston 26 and provided with an upright discharge passage or tube 27, arranged at the inner side of the pump and having a discharge-opening 2S registering with an aperture of the rear connecting-bar of the supporting-frame, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The pump is provided at the lowerend of the barrel or casing with an inwardly-opening valve 29, which admits water into the barrel or casing on the upward stroke of the piston and which closes on the downward stroke. The partition 30, separating the piston-chamber of the barrel or casing from the discharge-passage, is provided at the bottom of the pump with an opening 31, whereby on the downward stroke of the plunger water will be forced upward through the discharge passage upon the clothes.

The piston is connected at its upper end with an arm 32, extending rearward from the top of the oscillatory frame and having a slot or bifurcation to receive the upper end of the said piston. By this arrangement the piston will be forced downward when the oscillatory frame moves forward and the lower rubber or bed is carried rearward. The clothes or other fabric being washed will be exposed to the water discharged by the pump, and it will be apparent that by this operation clothes will be rapidly and thoroughly washed. When 1 the oscillatory frame is swung rearward, the

lower reciprocating rubber or bed is carried to the front portion of the supporting-frame to expose'the clothes to the operator to enable them to be adjusted ou the lower rubber or bed, and clothes may be rapidly passed through the machine, and portions which are very much soiled may be operated on for any length of time and until the dirt and stains are entirely removed. The clothes and other fabric are preferably placed upon the lower reciprocating rubber or bed by lifting them up from the tub at the front thereof, and they are dropped back into the tub in rear of the lower rubber or bed.

The lower rubber or bed is provided with longitudinal grooves or corrugations 33,which are intersected at intervals by transverse grooves 34. The lower rubber or bed is also provided at intervals with perforations 35, located at the grooves 34 and at points between the same to permit water expelled from the clothes to be forced through the lower rubber or bed by the upper roller. The upper roller is provided with longitudinal corrugations 36 and annular grooves 37, intersecting the corrugations and located at points between the transverse grooves of the lower rubber or bed. The clothes or other fabrics are forced into the grooves or corrugations of the lower rubber or bed by the upper roller, which yieldingly engages the said fabrics and which is adapted to expel water therefrom during the rubbing operation, whereby the dirt and stains are quickly removed from the fabrics.

The rear cross-bar of the supporting-frame is preferably provided with a transverse slot to receive a spout or projecting portion of the tube or passage of the pump, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The'projecting portion of the tube or spout is retained in the aperture by means of a strap or band 38, constructed of metal or other suitable material, whereby the pump is securely fastened to the IOD IIC

supporting-frame at the back thereof and retained in proper position.

The oscillatory frame is provided near its lower portion with a transverse rung 39, upon which is mounted a soap-holder 40, consisting of a box or receptacle having a pivoted side 'A The ends of-tlie soap-holderare provided with upwardly-proj ectin g ears 45 for the reception of the rung 39. When the soap rests upon the roller of the oscillatory frame, soap will be automatically applied to the fabrics, and when a sufficient quantity of soap has been used the slide is placed in the lower grooves to support the soap out of engagement with the roller.

The oscillatory frame is provided at its front portion with a transverse handle-bar 46, which is supported by arms 47, arranged at an inclination and extending upward from the sides of the oscillatory frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The supporting-frame is provided atthe back with a transverse rod 4S, arranged to be engaged by the corrugated roller of the oscillatory frame, whereby the oscillatory frame will be retained at the back of the supportingframe to prevent the lower rubber or bed from moving rearward from the front of the frame and to obviate the necessity of holding the lower rubber or bed at the front of the supporting-frame while the clothes or other fabric are being adjusted on it.

It will be seen that the washing-machine is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is easily operated, and that it is capable of quickly washing clothes and of thoroughly removing the dirt and stains therefrom Without injuring the fabrics. Furthermore, it will be clear that the clothes are automatically soaped and that the pump discharges a quantity of water upon the clothes when the lower rubber or bed is at the back of the supporting-frameand the clothes exposed to the action of the pump and that the pump obviates the necessity of soaking the clothes by hand after the same have been rubbed. Thiswill enable clothes which are very much soiled to be operated onffor any desired length of time by the rubbing mechanism, and it will be unnecessary for the operator to soak the clothes by hand during such rubbing operation. Furthermore, it

`will be apparent that-the rubbing devices are reversely movable and that the springs which cause upper rubbing-roller to yieldingly engage the clothes or other fabrics serve to maintain the roller in engagement with the transverse rod to hold the lower rubber or bed at the front of the washing-machine to permit clothes or other fabrics to be conveniently adjusted thereon without holding the rubber or bed by hand. Y

What I claim is- 1. In a washing-machine, the combination of upper and lower reversely-movable rubbing devices, the lower rubbing device being arranged to receive the clothes, means for connecting the said devices, whereby one willbe actuated when` the other is operated, and a pump connected with and operatediby the said devices and arranged at the back of the `washing-machine to discharge water upon the g lower rubbing device as the same approaches it, substantially `as described.

2. In a washing-machine, the combination of upper and lower reversely-movable rubbing devices, a stationary pump located adjacent to the lower rubbing device when the same is at one limit of its movement and means for operating the pump to discharge water upon the lower rubbing device as the same approaches the pump, substantially as described.

3. In a washing-machine, the combination of a lower reciprocating rubber or bed, an upper reverscly-movable oscillatoryr rubbing device connected with and actuating the lower rubber or bed, a pump arranged at the limit of the movement of the lower rubber or bed in one direction, and means operable by the oscillatory rubbing device for discharging Water from the pump as the lower rubber or bed approaches the same, substantially as described.

4a In a washing-machine, the combination of a lower reciprocating rubber or bed, a pump arranged at one limit ofthe movement of the rubber or bed, a reverselymovable oscillatory frame provided with a rubbing device and having an arm connected with and operating the pump for discharging water upon the rubber or bed as the same approaches the said pump, and means for connecting the oscillatory frame with the lower rubber or bed, whereby the parts will simultaneously move in opposite directions, substantially as described.

5. In a washing-machine the combination of a lower reciprocating rubber or bed, an oscillatory frame, an upright lever fulcrumed between its ends and connected to the rubber or bed and to the oscillatory frame, a pump, and an arm extending from the oscillatory frame and connected with the pump, and operating ythe same to discharge water upon the 'lower reciprocating rubber or bed as the latter approaches the pump, substantially as described.

6. In a washing-machine, the combination of a reciprocating rubber or bed `provided with corrugations and having intersecting grooves, said rubber or bed being also provided with perforations arranged at the grooves and at points between the same, and areversely-movable oscillatory imperforate roller having corrugations and'intersecting ICO IIO

&

grooves and cooperating with the rubber or bed, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a movable frame having a rubbing-roller, a soap-holder carried by the movable frame and provided with upper and lower grooves, and a removable slide arranged in one set of the grooves and adapted to be transferred to the other set, whereby it is adapted to support a cake of soap out of engagement with the roller and is capable of being arranged to permit the soap to rest upon the roller, substantially as described. y

8. In a washing-machine, the combination of a supporting-frame provided at the back with an aperture, a pump having a dischargespout fitted in the said aperture, said pump being provided with an upwardly-extending piston, a lower reciprocating rubber or bed arranged Within the supporting-frame, an oscillatory frame mounted in the supportingframe and provided with a rubbing device and having an arm connected with the piston of the pump, and means operated by the oscillatory frame for actuating the lower rubber or bed, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SIMON J. HARDING.

Witnesses:

J oHN L. GIBNEY, F. B. GREGG. 

